Wrapping up President Bola Tinubu’s three-day state visit to the United Kingdom yesterday, Nigeria and the UK signed three major Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) covering migration partnership, organised immigration crime, border security, and expanded business visas for UK firms operating in Nigeria.

For the first time, the Nigerian government will recognise UK letters – an identification document issued to individuals without a valid passport – so people will no longer have to wait for emergency travel documents to be issued before they can be returned.

The deal with Nigeria also makes it easier to remove people with no right to be in the UK and return people who overstay their visas, foreign criminals and failed asylum seekers. The MoU was signed by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, UK Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood and UK Trade Envoy Florence Eshalomi.

The two countries have also agreed to launch joint operations and share information to crack down on criminal gangs abusing visa routes. A new standardised document-checking system will be introduced to verify the authenticity of applications. The Home Office said it followed a series of high-profile cases involving fake job sponsorships, sham marriages and forged financial or employment records.

Tunji-Ojo noted that the MoUs were also expected to enhance trade and ease business mobility, supporting the Federal Government’s broader economic ambitions, adding that the deals “reflect Nigeria’s push for a transparent, rules-based migration system that is safe, orderly and mutually beneficial as it would help tackle abuse of legal pathways while strengthening border control.”

According to him, the arrangements support Nigeria’s drive toward a trillion-dollar economy under President Tinubu, removing barriers linked to irregular migration.

Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, hailed the president’s visit – the first by a leader of a West African nation in 37 years – as “historic”.

One of the highlights of the visit is the £746 million financing deal to modernise Lagos ports. The Lagos Port Complex in Apapa and the Tin Can Island Port are central to Nigeria’s maritime economy, serving as key gateways for imports and exports.

The ports handle a substantial portion of the country’s cargo traffic and are vital to customs operations, revenue generation, and overall economic activity.

UK Export Finance (UKEF), the UK government’s export credit agency, has provided a guarantee to the banks loaning the funds under the condition that at least 20% of the contracts are sourced from the UK. At least £236m of supplier contracts will be directed to British firms, including £70m for British steel – the company’s largest ever export backed by UKEF.

IN a statement by Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the deal, targeting the modernisation of Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, was one of the key outcomes of Tinubu’s meeting with Starmer at 10 Downing Street, London, signalling a renewed push to translate longstanding diplomatic relations into tangible economic gains.

He described the engagement as a significant step toward deepening bilateral cooperation, noting that both countries must build on their shared history to unlock greater trade and investment opportunities. He further emphasised that discussions with the British government would span trade, economic reforms, climate change, terrorism, and broader global challenges, reflecting the evolving scope of Nigeria-UK relations.

The agreement was signed on behalf of Nigeria by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, while the UK Minister for Small Business and Economic Transformation, Blair McDougall MP, signed for the British government.

Edun said the agreement aligns with Nigeria’s strategic priorities in infrastructure development, energy, and industrial growth, noting that improved port capacity is critical to boosting trade efficiency and economic productivity. He added that strengthening bilateral partnerships remains key to attracting the scale of investment required to drive job creation and reduce poverty, in line with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The port modernisation project is expected to enhance Nigeria’s trade competitiveness, reduce congestion at key maritime gateways, and reinforce the broader objective of positioning the country as a leading economic hub in West Africa.

A Downing Street spokesperson said the two leaders “committed to deepening their long-term partnership on trade, infrastructure and sustainable growth”. They also agreed to work more closely together on defence and security in response to transnational crime and terrorism, the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, Nigeria will review its laws to ensure the toughest possible sentences are given to immigration offenders. Border Security and Asylum Minister, Alex Norris, said: “Nigeria is a key partner in our work to tackle illegal migration, as the UK’s largest African visa market and home to thousands of Nigerians who have built their lives here.”

PRESIDENT Tinubu’s itinerary, however, excluded a meeting with Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservative Party. It is customary for heads of state on official visits to the UK to meet the leader of the opposition, not just the prime minister.

On the first day of his trip, he met the royal family, including King Charles and Queen Camilla, met with interfaith organisations, and enjoyed a banquet where he and the British monarch both gave speeches. Badenoch attended Wednesday night’s dinner but was not formally penned down to meet Tinubu.

The opposition leader, who is of Nigerian descent, had said she no longer identifies with her ancestral roots. Much of her rhetoric had centred on public criticisms of the country in which she was raised.

While touting the Conservative Party as the right group to fix Britain, Badenoch said she did not want the consequences of “terrible governments” like Nigeria to play out in the UK. Before she was elected leader of the Tories, Badenoch described Nigeria as a socialist nation brimming with thieving politicians and insecurity.

Her political approach has provoked disapproval from Nigerian leaders, including a rebuke from Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who accused Badenoch of “constantly denigrating” her homeland. A spokesperson for the politician said Badenoch is not interested in laundering Nigeria’s image.

During U.S. President Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK last September, Badenoch shared a picture with the president on her Instagram, taken at the customary state banquet held for his reception. She said it was a pleasure to meet Trump, who gave a “wonderful speech on his admiration for our country, reminding us about all the things that put the ‘Great’ in Great Britain!”

The opposition leader did not share a picture with the Nigerian president even though she was at the state banquet held in his honour.